Pasta alla Norma is a Sicilian classic. Eggplants, tomatoes, ricotta salata, and fresh basil make a simple but delicious recipe. Every flavor blends to make the best pasta recipe. Ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredient
– ½ to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil– 1 medium onion finely diced– 1 lb fresh tomatoe– 1 can 28-ounces whole peeled San Marzano DOC tomatoe– 1-2 teaspoons sea salt– ¼-½ cup chopped fresh basil– 2 medium eggplant– ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper– 1 lb paccheri– ¾ cup finely grated ricotta salata
Direction
1
Cook sauce: In a large saute' pan or medium saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil on medium-high until shimmering. Add onion: Add onion and cook until translucent (about a minute, or it will brown).
2
Add fresh tomatoes. Add onions and cook for a few minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and juice (I break up the tomatoes with my hands and remove the hard end before adding to the sauce).
3
Boil: Use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes as the sauce boils. Once the sauce boils for a few minutes, reduce heat to a simmer. Season sauce: Salt and cook until thickened.
4
Adjust sauce consistency by adding ¼ cup of water if it becomes too thick. Finally, add fresh basil and parsley and stir to combine. Simmer sauce for 20 minutes. Check and add salt as needed.
5
Prepare and fry eggplants while sauce simmers. Cut eggplant ends. Shave long, alternating eggplant peel strips with a vegetable peeler. Cut eggplant into pieces.
6
Salt eggplant and heat oil. Get large frying pan oil to 350°F.Fry eggplant: Turn every minute until golden brown. Cook eggplant in batches to avoid crowding. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked eggplants to paper towels.
7
Make pasta:
Boil water: Boil a large pot of salted water while the sauce simmers and eggplant fries.
Make pasta: Cook pasta 1 minute less than al dente.
Drain and reserve pasta water: Drain pasta just before al dente. Set aside ½ cup of pasta water.
8
Combine pasta and sauce: Lightly heat sauce. Combine pasta and sauce in sauté pan. Mix well and add a tablespoon of pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Prepare plates: Pasta with grated ricotta salata. Pour extra-virgin olive oil and chopped basil over the dish before serving. ENJOY!